The Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration and political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS) heard critical testimony yesterday from Member of Parliament Mr Fadiel Adams and former prosecutor Advocate Molatlhwa Mashuga.
The hearings, established following claims by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, centred on the alleged weaponisation of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the mishandling of classified intelligence.
Mr Adams, leader of the National Coloured Congress (NCC), took the witness seat to address accusations by Lt Gen Mkhwanazi that he had “recklessly” handled classified documents. Mr Adams countered by arguing that the General’s focus should be on the corruption revealed in the documents rather than the whistleblower.
He maintained that the classified documents, detailing nearly R1 billion in alleged fraud, were “slid under his office door”. He defended his decision to open criminal cases at a local police station rather than reporting through the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), stating he was a new MP at the time and acted as a responsible citizen.
Mr Adams called for the total disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), labelling it a “waste of R100 million a year” that could be better spent on crime-fighting in hotspots.
Earlier in the day, the committee heard from Adv Mashuga. He provided an account of what he termed the infiltration of IPID. His testimony focused on the undue influence of private forensic investigator Mr Paul O’Sullivan and his assistant, Ms Sarah-Jane Trent, and the alleged manipulation of IPID to sideline senior police officials.
He produced pages of communication, in which he says he was threatened after investigating Mr O’Sullivan and Ms Trent. “The integrity of our justice system is at stake when private individuals can influence who is investigated and who is protected within the SAPS,” Adv Mashuga told the committee.
Members of Parliament across the political spectrum engaged in robust questioning, reflecting deep concerns over the state of national security and police leadership. Members further raised concerns about the court order that forces the SAPS to give Mr O’Sullivan 24 hours’ notice before arresting him for any crime. MPs highlighted his three citizenships and three passports as a concern in this matter.
Rajaa Azzakani
5 March 2026
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